


Some Things Require More Than Just Spider-Man

by baloobird



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Bullying, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Light Angst, Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Protective Tony Stark, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-28
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-08-08 18:31:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16434605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baloobird/pseuds/baloobird
Summary: Tony takes Peter out for some ice cream after school. Everything is perfect.Too bad it's about to be ruined by Flash and his cronies.





	Some Things Require More Than Just Spider-Man

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Please note that I rated this as Teen due to some sexual talk towards the end and an accusation that a grown man is in a relationship with a minor.
> 
> Enjoy!

The days when Tony picks Peter up from school are seriously the best days.

Happy is typically the one who picks Peter up for lab days, but when it’s Tony picking him up, not only do they go to the lab, but they also like to hang out. 

Like they’re _bros_.

Peter could actually say that Tony Stark is his bro (but he’d rather jump off a cliff than ever say it out loud).

Tony almost always takes him to a restaurant of some sort, (he knows that Peter will be hungry) and they just sit and talk about everything and nothing. Peter would talk about school, decathlon, or anything pop culture related. Tony would listen with amusement, pretend to be annoyed at the pop culture talk, and maybe talk about his own day. It’s become such a nice, comfortable rhythm with them.

So, yeah, one could say that these are Peter’s favorite days. But what Peter will never know is that these have become Tony’s favorite days too.

\---------

Tony decides to mix thing up a bit when he picks Peter up from school. Even though it’s September and it’s _technically_ fall, Mother Nature still thinks it’s the dead of summer, so he takes Peter to a local ice cream shop. Peter’s excited, of course, and can barely keep still. He’s already rambling about his day and they had just left the school parking lot.

Tony can’t help but smile at the kid. It’s a smile that he doesn’t give to many people, but it’s always there when Peter’s around. It’s a genuine, like-nothing-can-ruin-this-day kind of smile. Peter secretly knows this smile and he does whatever he can to make sure it comes alive whenever they hang out - it’s honestly Tony’s best look.

They get to the ice cream shop and get their flavors before picking out a booth to sit at. Tony always subtly makes sure that Peter sits as far away from the door as possible in the case that some sort of danger decides to waltz in. Tony picks the booth the farthest from the door with Peter sitting facing the door.

Everything was perfect; they got into their usual rhythm again, as if they’re in their own little world. Peter didn’t think that anything could wipe this smile off his face.

Until he hears the bell ring, which signals that someone just walked in.

Peter instinctively glances up at the door and his eyes widen in fear.

There’s Flash. With his cronies, Wesley and Ethan. Here. At the ice cream shop.

To say that Peter and Flash don’t get along is an understatement. Flash isn’t a physical bully (even though he has gotten physical a few times). But he’s the type of bully who knows just the right things to say to make someone feel like the most shitty, insignificant, pathetic person on the planet. Peter knows deep down that it’s all a bunch of bullshit and he shouldn’t listen to him.

But he’d be lying if he said he’s never let Flash’s words get to him.

So seeing him here when this is supposed to be his special time with Tony, it brings down his mood a bit.

And Tony? He has no idea. Peter could never bear the thought of Tony knowing that he - a superhero - can’t stand up to an annoying bully. Plus, Peter wouldn’t let something this trivial get in the way of his fun at the lab.

Of course, Peter’s sudden change in behavior doesn’t go unnoticed by Tony.

“You okay there, bud? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.”

Tony turns around to see what Peter’s staring at. Since Tony doesn’t know the Flash situation, all he sees are some random strangers standing with their backs to them looking at ice cream flavors.

Peter snaps out of it and looks at Tony.

“S-Sorry, Mr. Stark. Um...uh…just nervous about this presentation I have to do Friday. I...uh...stutter a lot.”

That wasn’t a complete lie. He _does_ have a presentation on Friday...and he _does_ stutter. But he knows the material forwards and backwards...Tony doesn’t need to know that.

Tony doesn’t buy this excuse for a hot second, but he plays along.

“Kid, it’s not about how you talk, but what you say. You’re a genius, you’re gonna do fine. What’s it about?”

“Any important figure from the American Revolution era. I chose Alexander Hamilton.”

Tony chuckles, “Of course you did. See, kid, you’ve got this. Don’t you know that musical by heart at this point?”

They both giggle at the times to when Peter would blast the Hamilton album whilst in the lab. Tony would just fondly roll his eyes and pretend that it bothered him.

Flash and his Crabbe-and-Goyle-like gang still haven’t noticed them when they go to sit down in their own booth. They’re not exactly across from Tony and Peter, but they are sitting caddy-corner to them.

With Peter in Flash’s line of sight.

Peter thinks that maybe if he just doesn’t look in their direction, they won’t notice him. So he keeps his eyes focused on Tony. He listens to Tony talk about a boring meeting that Pepper made him go to, and he lets out a loud snort when Tony tells him a joke that Rhodey told him earlier in the day.

Then his spidey sense goes off.

_Possible danger_.

Without thinking, he glances over to Flash’s booth.

They lock eyes.

Flash must’ve heard him snort.

_Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God_.

Flash is staring at Peter as if he just grew a third head; he can’t believe it. Tony Stark. With Penis Parker. _What. The. Fuck._

Peter tries to calm down. He knows that Flash can’t try anything. Not as long as Tony is with him.

Peter’s thoughts are interrupted when he sees Tony get up and say that he’s going to the bathroom. He looks at Tony with pleading eyes, silently begging him to stay.

_Come on, can’t he just wait ‘till we get to the compound?_

Tony sees Peter’s look and rolls his eyes. He quips, “I know you’re gonna miss me _oh so terribly_ , but I’ll be right back, bud, jeez.”

Tony playfully ruffles Peter’s hair before walking towards the bathrooms.

Tony is just out of earshot when Flash and his gang rush to Peter’s booth. Flash sits across from him, with Wesley standing at the end of the booth while Ethan sits next to Peter - making him scoot over.

Trapping him.

All three of them lean towards Peter in an attempt to look more intimidating than they already are, and they share looks of shock, jealousy, and confusion.

Peter’s spidey sense is bristling so much that he has goosebumps, so intense that he’s irrationally fearing that they will make his body forever bumpy.

Flash is the first to speak, “What the _fuck_ is this, Penis? Talk. Right. Now.”

Peter curls into himself. Nothing good is going to come from this. He mumbles, “It’s just the internship, Flash.”

“Bull fucking shit, Parker! _Everyone_ knows that Stark only hires college kids for interns. What makes you so damn special?”

Peter shrugs, “He made an exception for me. Why is that so hard for you to understand?”

Wes slams his fist on the table, making Peter flinch, “Why would anyone want you let alone Tony Stark? There’s gotta be another reason...so cough it up.”

Peter shrugs again. He’s trying to use the “I don’t care” technique in the hopes of them getting bored and leaving. Too bad it’s not working.

“He likes me.”

The punks all start laughing and Flash gives Peter a look of utter disbelief, “HA! He does, does he? So tell me, Penis, what didya _actually_ do to get this internship?”

Peter raises an eyebrow in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

Ethan’s obnoxious mouth finally decides to pipe up, “Wow, Parker, I didn’t peg you for _that_ kind of person. Do you even know what sex is?” 

Peter’s eyes widen in shock as these assholes all laugh at the accusation. He can feel his stomach gurgle with nausea at the very thought. This is _not_ where he was expecting this conversation to go.

Peter stutters, “Wha-What, NO! That is fucking disgu-”

Flash cuts him off, “Can it, Penis...hehe, that name really fits you now, does it? So, how many times did you have Stark fuck you before he finally said ‘yes’?”

“None, you absolute disgusting piece of shit.”

Everyone turns to Tony, who’s now standing next to Flash, facing Peter.

All four pairs of eyes widen in shock.

Flash is the first to speak, “T-Tony S-S-Stark...uh...hi.”

Tony raises an eyebrow and gives him a look of disgust. This punk-ass kid actually has the audacity to address him like everything’s copacetic.

Tony lays his eyes back on Peter, “You okay, Pete?”

Peter swallows a nervous lump in his throat, “Y-Yeah….”

“Hm, really? ‘Cuz I’m not.”

Tony pushes Wes off to the side before leaning down at Flash’s eye level and grabbing his shoulder. He makes sure he has this kid’s full attention before giving him a smile.

Peter knows this smile. It’s not the same as the one that Tony gave when he picked Peter up from school. Tony’s given this smile to the likes of paparazzi and rude reporters. On the outside, Tony’s cool as a cucumber, but he’s actually restraining from blowing a gasket.

Tony is now speaking with a scary calmness, “Let me tell you something. You are so. Damn. Lucky. That we are in a public place right now. Wanna know what I’d be doing if we weren’t?”

Flash quickly shakes his head, fear adamant on his face.

“Yeah, didn’t think so. But if you mess with my kid again, or make any other assumptions about me being a pedophile, which is _abso-fucking-lutely_ not true, by the way, you and your little peons are gonna find out. Deal?”

Flash nods his head and looks as if he might pee himself.

Tony drops his cool-as-a-cucumber façade and now has a dead serious look. “Now, _beat it_.”

He says it quietly but with such harshness that the punks are tripping over each other as they’re running out the door.

Peter’s jaw dropped at the whole exchange, but especially over the fact that Tony Stark just referred to him as his kid.

_His kid_.

Oh, he will definitely be screaming about this to Ned later.

Once they leave, Tony slides back into his booth.

They sit quietly for a few moments, ice cream melted and long forgotten, one not knowing what to say to the other.

Peter finally breaks the silence, “You didn’t actually threaten to kill them, right?”

Tony gives a side hand wave in response, “Nah, kid, relax. I don’t hit minors...but they don’t know that.” He gives Peter a mischievous smirk.

Peter gives him a half-smile and a soft “Thanks.”

“Anytime, kid. So, how long?”

“What?”

“How long have they been bullying you?”

Peter looks down at the table in shame, “Since middle school.”

Tony gives him a miserable expression. “Jesus, kid, that’s, what, almost _five_ years?! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Um...uh...w-well...they-they’re normally not that bad. I usually t-try to let it go in one ear and out the o-other.”

Tony notices the sudden stuttering but doesn’t comment, “And does that work?”

“U-um...y-y-yeah…totally….”

“Peter….”

Peter sighs, eyes still not leaving the table, “...s-sometimes….”

Tony lets out a defeated sigh, “Kid, you could’ve just told me.”

“I-It’s not a big deal, Mr. Stark! I stopped bank robbers just last week. If I can do that, I can handle a few annoying kids.”

Tony lightly taps Peter’s arm that’s on the table. “Hey, look at me.”

Peter reluctantly makes eye contact.

Tony lowers his voice, “Just because you’re a superhero, it doesn’t mean that you’re not a kid. Some things require more than just Spider-Man.”

“So you want me to just call you over every little thing?”

Tony quips, “Yup, sounds good to me. Problem solved.”

“Mr. Staaaaaaark….”

“Peeeeeter….”

Peter fondly rolls his eyes at the light teasing.

Tony continues, “Just promise me that if they ever give you a hard time again, you’ll actually come to me about it.”

Peter sighs in defeat, “Okay, I promise.”

Tony smirks in victory, “Good. Now, I just attached these wings to my suit and I’m _dying_ to give them a test run. What d’ya say, kid?”

Peter’s eyes brighten like he just won the lottery.

Tony chuckles, “Yeah, I thought so, let’s go.”

It was on their drive to the compound when they get into their rhythm again.

Peter’s asking a million and one questions about the wings, and Tony makes sure to answer every single one of them.

One could say that Peter did win the lottery.

But this one had nothing to do with money.

 

End.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it! 
> 
> Hmu on Tumblr if ya want, I'm baloobird there too.


End file.
